The present invention relates to a proximity sensor.
Among the prior art is a sensor manufactured by a company called TopWorx, Inc. of Louisville, Ky. called a “GO” switch. This switch is advertised as having only one moving part, which is the push-pull plunger (hereinafter also referred to as the shaft). The electrical contact is attached directly to the shaft and moves linearly with the motion of the shaft. As with any mechanical contact, there is an inherent contact bounce that is approximately 2 milliseconds. The biggest disadvantage of this contact bounce is a “teasing” effect which causes premature contact failure. A weak magnetic field acting on the shaft can close the electrical contact but not provide sufficient contact pressure. The resulting “teasing”, or contact chattering, can result in excessive heat which is detrimental to the contact's service life.